By Josh Graham

JUNIOR stars from Bridport RFC are continuing to make waves in youth rugby thanks to their performance at this weekend’s Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup.

The Dorset-based club took to the pitch at an event hosted by Exeter Chiefs, helping celebrate the 12th season of the nationwide grassroots rugby initiative.

More than 85,000 children have taken part to date – enough to comfortably fill Twickenham Stadium – providing developmental experience for young players to excel in a professionally run environment.

Exeter Chiefs played host at Bravelands on Sunday, with 32 teams strutting their stuff across an under-12 and under-11 festival.

In the under-11 competition, Bridport demonstrated plenty of effort and skill but fell just short of earning a trip to the Gallagher Premiership Rugby Final on June 20.

That honour instead went to Saltash RFC, who will get the chance to meet a Land Rover rugby ambassador, join in a Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup Parade at half-time, plus find out who has won the Junior Land Rover Discovery of The Season award.

But despite missing out on a place at Twickenham, Bridport’s William Symonds was still proud of his side’s performances.

He said: “We won our first game but lost our second – we needed to keep our heads up throughout the day because we are quite a good team.

“I have played a couple of festivals before but there are a lot more teams here, it is a much bigger tournament.

“They have introduced kicking this year and I find that really fun, it’s my favourite part of rugby.

“We’ve been watching the Rugby World Cup as well – I think England can go all the way in Japan and I really enjoyed watching the game against Australia.”

Keeping a close eye on the action unfolding throughout the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup were Exeter Chiefs’ Stu Townsend, James Kenny, Joe Parker-Cook and Arthur Realton.

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